Am I Eating Enough Calories?

I am 145lbs and would like to be 125lbs. I am confused about how many calories I should eat. If I burn 1600 calories doing nothing and I work out burning anywhere from 350-800 calories depending on the excercise how many calories should I eat to lose 2lbs a week? I eat about 1600 calories a day and when I incorporate work outs, I am wondering if I am eating enough. I am thinking I need to increase my daily calories.  Sarah M.

Dear Sarah,

The number of calories each person burns varies quite a bit with age, height, activity level, and body type.
At your weight (I am estimating age and height) you may burn about 1600 calories doing no exercise during the day, but if  you want to lose 2 pounds per week you would have to eat 1000 calories PER DAY less than you burn.  This would have you eating 600 calories per day, and it's neither healthy nor reasonable. 

You are doing what's wise by incorporating calorie-burning workouts into your day to promote faster weight loss.  With a slight decrease in calorie intake along with a daily workout to boost calories burned, you'll be able to lose weight, but probably closer to one pound per week than two.
Let's say you burn an average of 2100 calories per day including your work out: Then 1600 calories per day will allow one pound per week weight loss.  Unless you are very large, it's too difficult to lose two pounds of body fat per week.  (For example, a 250 pound man who is 6 feet tall might burn 2900 calories a day and he could  fairly reasonably reduce his intake to 1900 calories per day to lose two pounds per week).

I hate to be the one to tell you, but you are eating enough, and eating more will not allow for any more weight loss than a pound every few weeks. Be sure you are eating nutrient-dense and filling foods so you aren't going around hungry!